Broadcasts:

Hour long American Radio Works documentary details (aired Jan 17, 2008 on WUNC).

 The following aired on North Carolina Public Radio during Morning Edition and The State of Things

NC Voices: Put to the Test Part 1

Thursday, January 10 2008 by Emily Hanford | Send to a friend

Six years ago this month, President George W. Bush signed "No Child Left Behind" - a law that requires states to create testing programs to measure student progress in school. The goal is to get every student to pass the tests by the year 2014. The clock is ticking, and so far the results are mixed. Are the tests helping? Is education getting better? To look for answers, reporters from W-U-N-C’s "North Carolina Voices" project teamed up with American RadioWorks, the documentary unit of American Public Media. They spent two years at one North Carolina high school to observe up-close how "No Child Left Behind" is working. Emily Hanford has part one of our series from Western Guilford High School in Greensboro. Find out more about this series here.

NC Voices: Put to the Test Part 2

Friday, January 11 2008 by Emily Hanford | Send to a friend

North Carolina Public Radio – WUNC spent two years reporting from Western Guilford High School in Greensboro.

Our story began in the fall of 2005: the school had just failed to meet the federal government’s testing goals. The principal is under intense pressure to raise scores.  And he’s focusing attention on the students who need help the most – the school’s poorest performing 9th graders.  Emily Hanford has part 2 of our series “Put to the Test.”

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NC Voices: Put to the Test Part 3

Monday, January 14 2008 by Emily Hanford | Send to a friend

WUNC spent two years observing classes and talking with students, teachers and administrators about how No Child Left Behind is working.

This week we continue a series exploring the impact of the “No Child Left Behind” Law.  We’re reporting from Western Guilford High School in Greensboro.   On Friday, we met two struggling 9th graders, Jessica Giardullo and RJ McLaughlin.  The 2005 school year is underway.  Western is under intense pressure to raise test scores.  And the school has put RJ, Jessica and 83 other freshmen in a special set of classes designed to bring them up to speed, fast.  Emily Hanford has part 3 of our series “Put to the Test.”

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NC Voices: Put to the Test Part 4

Tuesday, January 15 2008 by Emily Hanford | Send to a friend

As our series on No Child Left Behind picks up today, it’s the spring of 2006. Teachers and administrators at Western are under pressure to raise test scores. The students we are following have been put in a special set of classes; it’s part of an effort to help the poorest performing 9^th graders get up to speed. Emily Hanford has part 4 of our series "Put to the Test."

NC Voices: Put to the Test Part 5

Wednesday, January 16 2008 by Emily Hanford | Send to a friend

Today we continue a series about the impact of the “No Child Left Behind” law.  It’s the end of the 2006 school year at Western Guilford High School in Greensboro.  Teachers and administrators are anxious about whether the school is going to make the federal government’s testing goal.   Students take the tests and the results do not look good; it appears Western has failed.  But, it’s close.  Everything gets re-checked, and it turns out some scores were counted that shouldn’t have been.  With the errors fixed, Western begins the new year back on the government’s list of successful schools.  Emily Hanford picks up part 5 of our series here.

NC Voices: Put to the Test Part 6

Thursday, January 17 2008 by Emily Hanford | Send to a friend

Today we conclude a series from Western Guilford High School in Greensboro. We’re looking at how standardized testing is affecting teachers and students. Yesterday, we left off with student Jessica Giardullo. When Jessica started high school, she was put in a special set of classes to help her catch up on basic skills and improve her test scores. She does well, and by 10^th grade, teachers are recommending her for advanced level classes. But Jessica’s still not very enthusiastic about school. Emily Hanford reports. From our "Put to the Test" series.

The State of Things: Put To The Test

Thursday, January 17 2008 by Frank Stasio and Susan Davis | Send to a friend

Six years ago this month, President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act - a law that requires states to create testing programs to measure student progress in school.  The goal is to get every student to pass the tests by the year 2014.  The clock is ticking, and so far the results are mixed. Are the tests helping? Is education getting better? To look for answers, reporters from WUNC’s "North Carolina Voices" project teamed up with American RadioWorks, the documentary unit of American Public Media.  They spent two years at one North Carolina high school to observe up-close how "No Child Left Behind" is working.  Senior editor Emily Hanford joins host Frank Stasio along with Western Guilford High School teacher Jo Adams and student Jessica Giardullo to discuss their life in the aftermath of NCLB.  Randy Shaver, the former principal of Western Guilford High School in Greensboro and current superintendent of Whiteville Schools, also joins the conversation.

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